Deep-well pumping mechanism



'Aprll 1927' w. P. BRETT DEEP WELL PUMPING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 20; 1925 V I N VEN TOR.

1 throughout the several views. 45 In i ,TES

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM P. BRETT, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

DEEP-WELL rumrme Mnonamsm.

Application tiled August 20, 1923.- Serial No. 658,461.

My invention relates to improvements in deep well pumping mechanism-comprising what is generally known as a single stroke cylinder pump, by means of which liquids maybe raised by the upward stroke of a vertically reciprocating piston actuated "by a crank; and the objects of my improvement are, first, to provide means for causing a continuous flow of the liquid being pumped, from the immediate vicinity of the pump cylinder to the point of discharge; second, to provide a means for equalizing the load on the crank so that both the up and down strokes will require, a substantially equal impelling force; third, to provide means for cfiectually utilizing the force expended in the .down stroke to carry the full weight of the reciprocating mechanism and a part of the column of liquid that is being raised by 0 the up stroke of the pump piston; and, fourth, to utilize the cushioning effect of compressed air to eliminate shock on .the pumping mechanism and to equalize the load on the source of power during the operation of the reciprocating-mechanism.

I'attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a side view of the mechanism above the ground and a mixed side andisectional viewof a well with pump therein,

' parts broken away; Fig, 2, partial plan or top view of the walking beam, engine and inclosed gear reduction transmission, showing their relative position on the ground;

Fig. 3, an enlarged view, parts broken away,

of the lower part of the water discharge pipe and the surrounding encasement forming an a1r chamber; Fig. 4, an enlarged sectional view of a special load equalizing air cylinder; and Fig.- 5, an enlarged sectional view ,of a modified form of air chamber.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts res 1 and 2, lie an oil or gas enine an is adapted .to actuate the crank 10 y means of thebelt' 9 and the inclosed gear reduction transmission 9. The lever or walking beam 12 is pivoted to the upper end a I 5 of the post 13 and is adapted to be reciprocated by the pitman 11 which is pivotally connected to it and thecr'anki: 10, and by means of the sucker-rod 14 and the connecting links 4 and 19 this lever 12 i's'adapted' to actuate the water pump 23, the-air pump- 21 and the special air load equalizingde;

vice 3 described more in detail herein below;

23 is adeep well pump cylinder secured to the lower end of the water line or'discharge pipe 15. 14 is a sucker rod carrying piston 31 which carries an upwardly opening valve 32 common to single stroke pumps.

3 is an air reservoir surr-mnding the water line just above the pump 23. The slots or openings 17 in the lower part of the water line provide a means for the free flow of liquids from the water line into and out of the lower part of the air chamber or reservoir 3.

18 is an air line or pipe forcarrying compressed air from the air pump 21 to the air reservoir 3. 3 is a special load equalizing air cylinder (see Figs; 1 and 4) provided with the two check valves 8 and 18, 8 allows air'topass out of the upper end of the cylinderand valve 18 admits compressed air from the air pump 21 through the branch pipe 8. The piston 7 is ractical- I 1y airtight and allows substantial y no air to pass by or through it and is arranged to reciprocate" in the upper part of the cylinder without clearance at the upper end and with a very lar e clearance space 18- below the piston at fielower end of its stroke. This 'large clearance-space constitutes a load equalizing air chamber;

With this arrangement of parts the movement of the, piston 7 will cause a vacuum above and com ress the air below it on its downward-stro e. The air pressure in the air lines 8 and 18, the air reservoir 3' and in the lower part of the air cylinder 3 is substantially the same when the piston 7 is at the upper end of its stroke and this pres sure is automatically maintained and the pressure is-determined or fixed by the weight and inertia of the column of water'in the.

discharge line 15. The air pump 21 is arranged to pump a reasonable surplusageof air-over and above theamount necessary to compensate for absorption, and small. leak-.

age and maintain a full volume of com-- pressed air inboth the reservoir 3 and the ower part of the cylinder 3; this surplus- 17 into the lower part of the water line 15 and thus'will assist in raising the water so age of..air will escape through the openings that substantially no power is wasted in amp ing this surplusage. The water is raised gy theu ward movement vofthe lever 12 andthe air is compressedby the downward movement and thus it is that the load is equally divided between the two strokes, the

\ water and air cylinders being properly proi line 15.

above.

portioned to attain that end.

The vacuum and compressed air in the cylinder 3 assist-very materially in raising the water in the waterline thus relieving the engine and transmission mechanism of substantially one half of the load of raising the water in the water line 15. By this arrangement of parts of the mechanism and by reason of the resilience and cushioning action of the air in the air chamber 3 there will be substantially a continuous fiow of water through the water line 15 during the operation of the pumping mechanism and this continuous flow of water relieves the pumping mechanism of the heavy shock load that is common and so destructive to all reciprocating single stroke deep well pumps. The high speed at which thispum-p may be run makes it practically impossible.

to suddenly overcome the inertia -of. the heavy column of water in the water line 15 which moves at substantially only one half as fast as the upward speed of the piston 31 Y in the water cylinder 23 "when the cylinder and dischar e pipe are of same diameter.

This higi speed of .the piston acting against the slower movement of the water in the water line above the openings 17 causes substantially one half of the amount of water discharged at each of the working strokes of the pump to pass through the openings 17 into the lower part of the air c iamber 3 thus causing a slight increase .of pressure in the air chamber which during the down stroke of the piston in the water surplusage of water from the air chamber 3 into the water line thus maintainingthe continuous upward flow" of the column of Water above the openings 17 in the water.-

As theair pump 21 works on the down stroke it will be seen that the air from it will be forced in at the time of the lightest pressure in the air chamber and thus it is seen that the air pressure in the air reservoir 3 is suflicient at all times to maintain a substantially continuous upward movement of the heavy column of water above voir 3' (see Fig. 3) is preferably constructed of two pieces of pipe or tubing of which the smaller and, inner .oneis a few inches cylinder, will cause the discharge .of this longer than the outer shell or tube; thisouter shell or tube is swaged so as to make a close sliding fit to the inner tube which is provided with the penings 17 and threads at the ends for making connections with the pump cylinder below and the water line The two tubes are welded together at the points 83 and 33 so as to be absolutely air tight, and the coupling 28 is welded in so as to make an air tight connection for the air line 18'. In the modified form of reservoir shown in Fig. 5 the construction is made 11 entirely of standard pipe and fittings and t 1e inner pipe or water line is not continuous through the outer ipe but is made in sections separated a s ort distance apart to form t e opening "17' which serves the same purpose as 17 in Figure 3, and the part 15 is held central and.

able spacing'blocks as shown at 35 and;

36 in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 4, 7 is a bifurcated 'a 6 piston rod 7 which carries the pis'tonl7" at its lower end and 18', is the clearance space for the compressedfair which when piston 7" is at'lower limit is equal to substantially three .times the pressure in the air chamber 3 when the air space or clearance 18" is one third of the displacement space inclosed in the air cylinder 3. This heavy pressure of air assisted by the vacuum above the piston exerts a heavy upward pressure on the lever or beam 12 to assist ]ust when the load is heaviest.

When in operation. the minimum air ressure in the lowerpart of the cylin er'3 will be slightly above the average ressure in the air chamber 3' which hasa' uctuating pressure caused by the flow of water in and out of the lower art in response to the respective strokes of t e piston 31 (see Fig. 1) and the maximum 111! pressure in the chamber will force air through the branch pipe 8' and the check valve 18, into the cylinder?) thus making the minimum pres sure in cylinder 3 nearly equal to the maximum pressure in the reservoir 3', so that at all times during the o eration of the mechanism there will be su cient upward pressure to carry the weight of the reciprocating parts'of the mechanism, and substantially one half of theweight of the water in the discharge pipe 15, the different parts being properly proportioned to attain that end.

claim: j 1. The combination, in. deep well pumping mechanism, of a water pump cylinder,

an air compressor, a load equalizing air cyl-- inder, an air receiver or reservoir, a water discharge pump, an air line leading from said air compressor into said air receiver, an opening or port leading from the lower part of the said air receiver into the said water discharge pipe adjacent to said water pump cyllnder, and a one way air. duct leading from the said air receiver into one end of said load equalizing .air cylinder.

pipe leading from said water 2. The combination, in deep well pumping mechanism, of a water pump cylinder, an air pump cylinder, a water discharge line, an air chamber surrounding the said water discharge line adjacent to the said water pump cylinder, a load equalizing air cylinder, pistons in the said cylinders, and means for alternating the working strokes of the said pistons in the said watercylinder and the said air cylinders, and an air conduit leading from said air pump cylinder into the said load equalizing cylinder and the said water discharge pipe or line.

3. The combination, in deep well pumping mechanism, of a water pump having a vertically arranged water discharge line, an air chamber surrounding the lower portionof the said water-discharge line, reciprocating mechanism for operating the said water pump, an air pump adapted, with its connections, to force compressed air into and.

a water discharge ipe, an air reservoir surrounding the sai water. discharge pipe adjacent to said pump cylinder, a load equalizing air cylinder, and an air. pump adapted and to force compressed air into the said load equalizing cylinder and through the said air reservoir.

5. The combination, in deep well pump-' ing mechanism, of a sin le stroke pump,'a load equalizing air cylin er, a piston ada t ed to"reciprocate within said air cylin er and to cause a vacuum in one end and to compress and retain compressed air'in the other end, and means for alternating the heavy working strokes of the air cylinder pistons.

6. The combination, in deep well pumping mechanism, of awaterpump, a load equalizing air cylinder, a compensating air pump, a discharge ipe for the said water pump,

said pump and an air cham er 'sufioundingthe said dis charge pipeadj a'cent to the said water pump, and air ines leading from said compensatin air pump into the said air chamber l oad equalizing air cylinder.

7. The combination, in deep well pumping mechanism, of a reciprocating member,

a water pump adapted to be actuated by said member, a load equalizing air cylinder, a piston adapted to reciprocate in the said air cylinder, and means for maintaining a fluctuating air pressure-on-one side of said piston with a minimum pressure in excess of atmospheric pressure during the opera tion, of the said pumping mechamsm.

8. The combination, in deep well pumping mechanism, of a water ump, a load equalizing air cy linder, an air pump, and

means for effecting the cooperative action of the said water pump, .air cylinder and air pump for equalizing load and eliminating shock in the pumping of water.

9. The combination, in deep well pumping mechanism, of a water pump cylinder, a water discharge pipe, a load equalizing air cylinder, an alr receiver having open chamber, and motor actuated means for alternating the heavy working strokes of the said water pump and said air cylinder piston.

11. The combination, in deep well pumping mechanism, of a pump, a motor for actuating said pump, a supply of compressed air, and a load equalizing air cylinder adapted to receive air from the said compressed air supply, recompress it, and use it repeatedly for equalizing the draft or load on said motor during its actuation of the said pump.

12. The combination, in deepwcll pumping mechanism, of a pump, actuating means for said pump, a load equalizing air chamber, a shock alleviating air reservoir, 'means for utilizing compressed air in said chamber to equalize the load on said pump actuating means, and means for utilizing compressed air in said reservoir to alleviate shock on said pump and its actuatin parts.

13.' The combination, in eep well pumping mechanism, of a pump, a load equalizing air cylinder, :1 piston adapted to reciprocate in said cylinder and to simult-aneusly cause a partial vacuum in one end and to move against a full cylinder of confined compressed air in the other end of said cylinder, another piston for said pump, and means for alternating the working strokes of said pistons.

14. The combination, in deep well pumping mechanism, of a pump cylinder, a pump piston, a load equalizing air chamber adapted to retain its full volume of coin ressed air, a reciprocating member adapted to cause fluctuations in pressure and volume of said retained compressed air, and means for al ternating the working strokes of said piston and member. 7

15. The combination, in pumping mechanism, of a pump comprising a working bar- 'rel, a piston and a discharge pipe or water discharge said piston, a load equalizing air chamber, and means for maintaining a minimum air pressure in the said air chamber approximatelyequal to the water pressure in said pipe adjacent the said working barrel during the operation of said piston.

16. The combination, in pumping mechanism, of a pump cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a water discharge conduit leading from said 0 linder, a load equalizing air,

chamber, an means for maintaining an air piessure in said load e ualizing air chamr in excess of atmosp ieric pressure during the operation of said mechansm.

17. The combination, in pumpi g mechanism, of a pump cylinder, a pistoh discharge pipe, a load equalizing air chamber, and means for maintaining a fluctuating air pressure in said chamber equal to or greater than the minimum water pressure in said pump cylinder during the operation of the said pumping mechanism". f

18. The combination, in pumping mechanism, of a single stroke pump cylinder, a piston adapted to reciprocate in said cylinder, a discharge pipe leading from said cylinder, a load equalizing air chamber, a motor and connecting means for actuating said piston, and means for causing the compression and expansion of air in said-air chamber to coact with said piston in equalizing the load on said motor during the operation of said pumping mechanism.

19. The combination in pumping mechaa water nism of a single stroke ump, a motor for actuating said pump, a oad equalizing air cylinder, and means for utilizing a partial vacuum in said air cylinder for equalizing the load on said motorduring its actuation of said pump. a

20. The combination, in deep well pumping mechanism, of a pump, actuating means for said pump, a shock alleviatin air reservoir, a load equalizing air cham er, means for supplying compressed] air to said reservoir and chamber, and means for utilizing the compression and expansion of the air in said reservoir and chamber for the alleviation of shock on said pump and the equalization of the load on said actuating means.

21. The combination, in deep well pumping mechanism, of a pump, a load equalizing air chamber, a reciprocating piston in a part of said air chamber, and means whereby said piston may be madeto move against means for alternating the working strokes of the said pump and piston."

WILLIAM P. BRETT. 

